Plant stand



EAQQEEQ April 115 1924.,

M. WAGNER PLANT STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 15 1924-. 1,49@,65

M. WAGNER I PLANT STAND Filed Sent. 192C 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES I 1,490,650 PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL WAGNER, OF PITTSBURGH. PENNSY EVANIA, ASSIGNOB O'F ONE-HALF TO THE MOCALLUM COMPANY, A GQRPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

.PLAN '1. STAND.

Application nled fleptember 8, 1920. Serial No. 408,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the count of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, ave invented a new and useful Improvement in Plant Stands, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to supporting devices for. flower ots. More particularly it comprises a florists stand suitable for use for supporting pots of flowers used in in: terior decoratlng.

The objects of the invention are to provide such a stand in a form that will be readily collapsible for convenient carriage from point to point in the least possible space, which will be adjustable in height, which will support a flower pot tilted at an desired angle, and tilted in any desired ireotion relative to the support. Another object is to make a firm and stable base for the support, yet a base which will be readily co lapsible, and which may be locked in either open or closed position. Another object is to provide a support which may be raised by simply pulling upward on the top thereof, but which will be locked against return movement, and so held at any desired altitude, unless positive means are taken to release the locking device'to permit the support to be lowere These and other objects will be apparent in the following specification.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation and partial vertical section through the stand in operative position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top of the device; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section and plan view of the base of the device; Fig. 4.- shows the support in collapsed position for carriage between uses; Fig. 5 shows the supporting rack in operative position; and Fig. 6 is an en-- larged partial vertical section showing the locking device adapted to permit vertical adjustment.

In decorating for weddings, funerals, and other indoor affairs it is often desirable to turn a pot of flowers, shrubs or ferns, etc., at an angle to the vertical or horizontal position. This is done in order to form a bank of flowers or leaves, without showing the pots in which the plants are rooted. In order to support the flower pots in this inclined position some form of rack must be provided. Ordinarily these racks are furn1shed b the florist and are taken to the room to e decorated, set up, used perhaps fora few hours, and then'returned to the fl or1sts shop. Therefore, it is highly deslrable to have a supporting rack for this purpose which may be packed in a comparatively small space between uses. Furtherat the lower end is attached a circular base member 3 which has a number of holes 4 through it. The metal outside of each of the holes 4 is raised to form an arch portion 5, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Slidably mounted upon the tube or body member 1 is a sleeve 6, which may be locked in position by a set screw 7. The sleeve 6 carries radial extensions or wings 8, and to these are pivotally attached supporting le' s 9, by means of a fork 10 at the inner an s of said legs, which forks are attached to the wings 8 by means of rivets 11, all as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The outer ends of the legs 9 are turned downward and formed into a round ball 12. This is readily slidable upon a floor, and does not scratch the surface thereof. The holes 4 in the fixed support 3 are so shaped that the balls 12 on the ends of the legs 9 will not pull through when the sleeve 6 is pulled up on the body member, as shown in Fig. 4, but'on the contrary will limit the upward movement of the sleeve 6 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

When the sleeve 6 is pushed down on the tube 1 to its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1 the legs 9 will be spread out as shown in that figure, and the arches 5 on the supporting member 3 will rest upon those legs, while the inner ends of the legs will rest upon the base member 3, the outer end resting against the floor. Therefore the entire weight of the stand will be borne by the le s 9, through the terminal member 3, as will e obvious. This structure is strong, and tl 1e more weight that is put on it, the more rigld it becomes. On the contrary when the stand is picked up and the set screw 7 is released, the le s may be readily pulled up into collapsible position as shown in Fig. 4 and held there, by tightenin screw 7, while the stand .is being transporte or stored.

Slidably carried inside the tube member 1 is a rod 15, of approximately equal length as the tubel. Fixed on the u per end of the tube l is a'casting 16, throng which the rod 15 passes freely. Mounted'in a lateral opening through the casting 16 is a do 17. The outer end of this pro ects be on the casting 16, while the inner end, w ich carries teeth adapted to engage the rod 15, bears against the rod.

The dog is pivoted near its middle point by a rivet 18, extending through the dog and through a portion of the casting 16. A coil spring 19 is seated in a recess in the casting and bears a ainst the outer end of dog 17, normally ho ding the teeth of the inner end of that member in contact with the rod 15. The toothed end of the dog 17 is rounded away towards its lower side, so that when the outer end of the dog is depressed, thus causing the inner end to revolve around the pivot 18, this toothed inner end is moved out of contact with the rod 15. The same efiect is produced by pulling upward on the rod, thus releasing the locklng effect of the teeth thereon. On the contrary any downward movement of the rod 15 causes the teeth to enga e the rod, and the dog acts as a positive 100 ing mechanism, on the downward movement of the rod 15, except when the dog is held out of position by depressing the free end thereof manually.

Fixed on the upper end of rod 15 is a supporting web 25. This is somewhat similar to the terminal base member 3, in that it has perforations 26, and arches 27 beyond,

the perforations and toward the circumference of the circular web member. A sleeve member 28 is slidably mounted on the rod 15, and a set screw 29 is adapted to lock the sleeve 28 in any desired position. A number of radial wings or webs 30 extend from the sleeve 28, and mounted thereon are a like number of arms 31. These are attached to the webs 30 by means of jaws 32 and rivets 33, as shown in Fig. 1. These arms have terminal upwardly extending balls34, and their inner upper faces carry a plurality of small lugs or extensions 35, as'illustrated in Fig. 1.

When the sleeve 28 is pulled down as shown at the top of Fig. Lthe arms 31 are folded in as illustrated in that figure. The sleeve is prevented from going down further by means of the terminal balls 34, which rest upon the upper side of the'web 25. This is the collapsed position for storing or shipping-the sup ort. By moving the sleeve 28 up or down etween the upper and lowermost limits of its travel the arms 31 are spread apart at any desired angle, and therefore may be used to hold flower ots or any other similar object of any desire size within the limits of the spread of said arms.' By arranging the arms at various inclines, flower pots may be supported at an angle, and this angle may be varied as will be apparent from the illustration contained in The operation of the device has been partially stated in the foregoing specification, but may be briefly restated here. The stand when stored, or being carried from place to place is reduced to the collapsed position shown in Fig. 4. This is done by releasing the set screws 7 and 29, and raising and low- 'ering, respectively, the sleeves 6 and 28 to the limits of their travel away from the ends of the support. This movement of the sleeves causes the legs and arms to be collapsed against the body, and their ends are retained in this collapsed position by the openin s through the web members 3 and 25. en the stand is to be set u theset screw 7 is released, the tube 1 lifte whereupon the legs 9 drop by gravity through the openings 4, and by pushing the sleeve 6 down to its lowermost position, the legs are spread apart as shown in Fig. 1. The set screw is then tightened and the stand is read for use. By simply pulling upward on t e rod 15 it moves freely through the locking device, to any desired altitude. When released the rod does not slide back, since it is locked against downward movement by the action of spring 19 and the locking dog shown in Fig. 6.

The set screw 29 is then released, and the sleeve 28 moved up until the arms 31 are spread apart at the desired angle to embrace a flower pot, and to hold it at such inclination as is suitable for the purpose in hand. The ed e of the bottom of the flower pot is engage by the terminal ball member 34, or by one of the retaining lugs or projections 35, and it is thus securely held in place.

After the device has served its purpose, it is readily collapsed by pushing downward on the outer end of the locking dog 17 thus allowing the rod 15 to move downward. The set screw 29 is released and sleeve 28 moves downward to its lowermost position, thus collapsing arms 31. Set screw 29 is then tightened up, and the rod 15 is lowered until the sleeve 28 contacts with the casting 16. Set screw 7 is then released and the sleeve 6 pulled up until the legs 9 have assumed the position shown in Fig. 4, whereu on the set screw is tightened and the device is then in its most compact form for carriage or storage.

The many uses and advantages of this device will be apparent to those familiar with t e a I claim:

1. A supporting stand com rising an upright body member, a termina web fixed on the lower end of the body member, said web having a plurality of perforations therethrough, the body of the web radially beyond said perforations being formed into raised arches radially aligned with the said perforations, a sleeve slidably mounted on the body member above the web, and a plurality of legs pivotally attached to said sleeve and havin their free endsextending throu h the saif perforations in the web, where y to support the body member.

2. A supporting device comprising an up right body member, a perforated base member rigidly attached to the bottom of said body member, said base having a plurality of perforations therethrough, and being formed into arches in radial external alignment with said perforations, a sleeve slidably mounted on the body member above said base member, and a plurality of legs pivotally attached to said sleeve and extend- .ing through the perforations in said base.

member, said le s havin their outer ends turned down an enlarged to form supporting surfaces, and to prevent withdrawal throu h the said perforations.

3. support comprising a vertical body member, a terminal web member fixed at the top of the body member and having perforations therethrough, a sleeve shdably mounted on the body member below said terminal member,.a-p urality of arms pivotally attachedto said sleeve and extending through perforations in said terminal member, and a plurality of object-engaging lugs spaced throughout the extent of the upper faces'of said arms, whereby to engage articles disposed between and supported by said arms.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

MICHAEL WAGNER. Witness Howm L. SNIVELI. 

